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Page 1: Building Brand Equity with PR

1Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek Communications

It’s PR not ER

Building Brand Equity Through Public Relations

September 172007

Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek Communications

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Public Relations

Definition: [Public Relations] is a management function which tabulates public attitudes, defines the policies, procedures and interest of an organization followed by executing a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance.

- Edward Bernays (November 1891-March 1995), considered as “one of the fathers of the field of public relations” (Wikipedia)

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Why Should You Care About PR?

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Because When Done Well,

PR Can Build Brands

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How PR Can Build Brands

The media and word of mouth inform most people’s decisions about what is good, bad, best and worst

– 3.5 billion WOM conversations take place in America every day; 3.1 billion of them are offline

Typically, if one doesn’t know anything about a product or service, they will likely believe what they read about the subject, especially when the information comes from a credible media source

Brand recognition develops over time as messages take a position in the prospect’s mind

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Made-up Example:

Advertising alone, especially for emerging media companies can’t tell the whole story

Vs.

“Skidaddle, a new social utility that allows users to trade homemade widgets, profiles and playlists has already signed up more than one million users and is poised to become what many believe to be the new Facebook.”

SKidaddle.comGet Connected!

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Brands Built With PR

Amazon

eBay

Google

Linux

Microsoft

Red Bull

Segway

Starbucks

*PR used as part of overall strategy

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Under Construction but Looking Good

Digg | Pownce | Revision3

Facebook

Linkedin

Meebo

PerezHilton (No, I’m serious)

Pinkberry

Twitter

Zipcar

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Question:

Does Your Idea of PR Xanadu…

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Look Like This?

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Here’s What It Takes

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First: A Proper Assessment

STRENGTHS Technology still an economic and

consumer darling

Web 2.0 tools and services seen as “useful” to consumers and businesses

Emerging media and technology companies receiving massive amounts of publicity

WEAKNESSES Saturated market makes

differentiation increasingly difficult

Skeptical media can be dismissive of tech and emerging media startups

Sustainability potential unproven in many cases

THREATS Journalist fatigue: “How is THIS

social network different?”

Economic volatility may make VCs and advertisers gun shy, so establishing brand equity now is critical

Is there a bubble?

OPPORTUNITIES Emerging media categories all

projected to grow over next few years

Divergence making way for new categories and brands

Is there a bubble?

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Secrets of the Press REVEALED!

Consolidation of mainstream publications (moment of silence for Business 2.0) means fewer beat reporters to write about you

Reporters (especially in tech/emerging media) receive hundreds of calls and emails per day about new companies looking for ink

– You have 10 seconds to position your company as new and different and convince a reporter why you’re worthy of a precious column inch

Reporters will only write about what’s new, innovative or terrible; not what’s better or similar

Reporters cannot resist comparison when explaining who you are to their readers; expect some manufactured rivalries between companies that don’t really compete

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Three Questions for Every PR Firm

Can you explain my business to me?

– PR professionals are consultants; aside from their communications acumen, they must have the ability to learn everything about your business in order to properly tell your story to the media

What do you read?

– If a PR pro doesn’t have an existing understanding of the media most important to you, how will they know which reporters are most appropriate to tell your story to?

Which reporters do you have the best relationships with and what’s the last story idea you pitched them?

– The best way to prove the PR pro has the “great contacts” they claim to have

– A good PR person will answer this right away

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PR and Measurement

Sorry, there is no exact science for measuring return on any PR program investment; but there are some methods that come close:

– Literally measure the size of your mention in any given article and calculate what that blurb would have cost as an advertisement in the same publication; all media outlets have their rate cards online

– Track things like increases in site traffic, incoming sales calls during the established PR campaign; set agreed-upon start and end dates and analyze activity between them

– Did your sales team use the PR results to…sell? Can any new engagements be attributed to a particular article or Tv segment about your company?

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Jar Jar Says…

Hubris

Elitism

Being overprotective

Ignoring the press

Inauthenticity

Avoid brand killers like ME!

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Here’s How to Start:

PR 101 With or Without a PR Firm

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PR 101

Establish Thought Leadership

Engage the Media

Develop Messages

Identify Audiences

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Identifying Audiences

Every PR program is executed to reach a variation of three key audiences:

– Buyers (VCs, Shareholders, Advertisers)

– Influencers (Analysts, Bloggers)

– End-users

Once groups within each specific audience have been identified, focus on what brand messages will resonate with each

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Developing Your Media Messages

Create succinct, media-friendly messages that correct any foreseen misperceptions and establishes an identity within the industry

– [Brand] is the company that _______

Refine messages for each target audience

Always practice delivering your company’s media messages in your own voice to ensure they are understood and may be conveyed when appropriate

If necessary, create new company fact sheets, press release boilerplates and other communications collateral to reflect messaging

Media messages are not cut and pasted from your company’s mission statement or business plan

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Engaging the Media

Journalists and bloggers are the vessels for delivering your company’s story and hold the most influence over your target audiences

Develop a strategy for approaching journalists so they will devote time and interest in writing about you or your company

– Start by building a relationship with the media; offer them your expertise and insight on industry trends or breaking news stories

– Always know how to creatively position yourself or your company as being new, different and relevant to that outlet’s readership

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Establishing Thought Leadership

Being quoted or profiled by reputable media outlets certainly builds a positive brand perception, but credibility can be established more directly by:

– Speaking at industry conferences

– Submitting bylined articles to key trade publications

– Applying for industry awards and recognitions

– Blogging, Blogging, Blogging!

– Producing podcasts, vidcasts, etc.

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Case Study

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Babelgum: Background

Situation: Babelgum, a privately-funded, European peer-to-peer Internet TV company in early beta testing, retained CJP in March 2007 for support in accomplishing the following:

– Introduce the company to U.S. audiences via coverage in top-tier business and lifestyle media; sponsorships of major film festivals

– Support business development by facilitating meetings with independent U.S.-based producers and entertainment entities to build Babelgum’s content library

– Generate anticipatory buzz among U.S.-based users, compelling them to sign-up for the open beta version of the platform

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Babelgum: Challenges & Strategy

Challenges:

– Chief competitor Joost had first-mover advantage; cornering the p2p Internet TV market in the top-tier media with high-profile deals with Viacom, CBS, Warner Music and others

– Differentiate within growing online video market

Program Strategy:

– Position Babelgum as bringing democracy to the film studio/distribution system; championing lesser-known filmmakers and aligning with industry mavericks rather than just media conglomerates

– Demonstrate the differences between Babelgum and Joost; acknowledge similarities but prove the differences

– Forego typical “invitation only” closed beta and give access to anyone that wanted it

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Scheduled three media tours (NY, LA and SF) for Babelgum CEO, Erik Lumer

Arranged briefings with 12 top-tier business and technology publications including The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Fortune, Newsweek and Time, among others

Eight Babelgum profiles resulted from meetings conducted during the tour; articles further resulted in a collective 500 blog mentions in the days that followed

Succeeded in visually demonstrating the differences between Babelgum and Joost; getting on the radar of target journalists

Babelgum: Engaging the Media

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Babelgum Results

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Babelgum Results

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Babelgum Results

Digital Hollywood: Secured CEO position on a panel joining VP, NBC Digital; GM, Yahoo! Video; Former CEO, The WB and Jon Fine, BusinessWeek media columnist

Blogger Exclusives: To get covered on top Web 2.0 blogs and build pre-launch buzz, CJP offered GigaOm and Mashable readers free beta invites; collective readership: 2 million

Social Networks : Created Babelgum profiles and groups on Facebook and MySpace

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Questions?

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Contact

Contact: Wilson ClevelandCJP CommunicationsO: 212.279.3115 Ext. 207M: [email protected]

New York Office: 350 Fifth AvenueSuite 3901New York, NY 10118212.279.3115

Connecticut Office: 3241 Main StreetStratford, CT 06614203.378.1152

London Office: 30 Coleman StreetLondon011.44.207.367.5100

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Thank You

Cubitt Jacobs & Prosek Communications